Cotton fabric



UNITED STATES GEORGES HEBERLEIN, OF WATTWIL, SWITZERLAND. V

COTTON FABRIC.

No Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 18, 1921.

Serial No. 458,488.

(GRANTED UNDER THE JPROVI SI IONS OF THE ACT OF MAROH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L, 1813.)

To all whom 3t may concern Be it known that I, Gnoncns HEBERLEIN, a citizen of the Swiss Republic, and a resident of lVattwil, Canton of St. Gall, Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton Fabrics, (which improvements are described in the following filed a plications-i. 6., German application, Ser. N H. 64,558, filed Dec. 5, 1913, Patent No. 290,444, granted Feb. 28, 1916; French application, Ser. No. 67,157, filed Feb. 23, 1914, Patent No. 468,821, granted May 4, 1914; Italian application filed May 20, 1914, Patent No. 143,193, granted July 11, 1914; Belgian application, Ser. No. 219,476, filed June 19, 1914, Patent 268,535, granted June 30, 1914; British application, Ser. No. 12,559 o? 1914, filed May 21, 1914, Patent No. 12,559 in" 1914, granted as of Dec. 5, 1913; Austrian application filed May 22, 1914, Patent No. 69,358, granted Mar. 27, 1915; German application, Ser. No. H. 67,112, filed July 17, 1914, Patent of addition No. 294,571, ranted .L ct. 10, 1916; German application, er. No. ll. 65,355, filed Feb. 13, 1914; patent of ad dition No. 292,213, granted May 26, 1916; German application, 'Ser. No. H. 68,470, filed May 19, 1915, Patent No. 295,816, ranted Dec. 18, 1916; French ap lication, er. No. 83,050, filed Apr. 21, 1916, atent No. 481,561, granted Sept. 23, 1916; British application, Ser. No. 6,218 of 1916, filed May 1 1916, Patent No. 100,483, granted as of May 19, 1915; Belgian application, Ser. No. 225,208, filed June 24, 1919, Patent No. 280,937, not yet issued; Italian application filed May 4,

1916, Patent No. 154,095, granted June 5,

1916; Austrian application filed Apr. 29,

1916, Patent No. 81,367, granted Se t. 25, 1920; German application, Ser. 0. H. 34,373, filed Nov. 20, 1913, Patent 280,134, granted Nov. 4, 1914; French application, Ser. No. 67,013, filed Feb. 19, 1914, Patent 468,642, granted Apr. 29, 1914; British application. Ser. No. 13,129 of 1914, filed May as, 1914', Patent 13,129 of 1914, granted as of Nov. 20, 1913; Italian applicatlon, Ser. No., (has none,) filed June 9, 1914, Patent 143,796, granted Jan. 11, 1915; Bel ian application, Ser. No. 219,478, filed une 19, 1914, Patent 268,537, granted June 30, 1914; Austrian application Ser. No., (has'n0ne,) filed May 29, 1914, lPatent 70,004, granted June 21, 1915,) of, which the following is a specification. V

This invention relates to cotton fabrics, and the objectof the invention is the pro- Patented Sept. 27, 1921.

vision of new fabrics of pleasing and novel appearance or effects.

The invention consists in fabrics having novel efiects which are hereinafter described in connection with certain processes whereby they may be produced, and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Since the fabric that is the subject of this invention is produced by chemically processing and treating cotton fabrics so as to chemically structurally change the same in such manner as to produce these novel effacts, it may facilitate a better understanding of the invention it ll first describe my preterred process by which the fabric may be made, and also the previously known or suggested chemical treatment of cotton fabric to chemically and structurally change its fibers.

Mercer in the year 1844 and others later have observed that if concentrated sulfuric acid is allowed to act on cotton, the cotton takes on a parchmentized or parchment-like appearance. Accordin to Mercer, this effeet is obtained by sulruric acid of 495 to 555 B.; and by reason of-this action the cellulose will undergo a change rendering it more susceptible to dyes. Blondell (Bulletin Rouen vol. 10, 1882, pages 438, 47 1-4 72) has also observed that sulfuric acid of from 45 to 50 B. imparts to the cellulose the capacity of being brightly colored with methyl blue, whereas a parchmentizing or parchment-like effect only results when the sulfuric acid is of a concentration or" from 53 to 55 B. (Bulletin Rowen vol. 10, 1882, page 471). This known action of the sulfuric acid on the ordinary cotton fabric did chemically structurally alter the cotton fibers and did change their appearance; but the effect produced on the cotton fabric b the above known, process is entirely di erent from the effect produced on fabric processed according to my lprocesses hereinafter described, and ent1re y different from the fabric herein claimed.

As a matter of fact, I have discovered, and it can be demonstrated, that sulfuric acid of a concentration of 51 B. and above pro duces on the cellulose an entirely different effect than that produced thereon by an acid whose concentration is below 51 B. not substantially over 50% B.) Although a more highly concentrated sulfuric acid imparts to cotton fabric after a few seconds action a typical archment-like appearance, such an acid of, for example, 50 B. even after acting for say fifteen minutes, will not cause a like alteration of the cellulose, and in contradistinction to the effect of a slightly stronger acid, the fabric will not -be weakened by even longer action.

The present invention results also from the further discovery by me that the action of sulfuric acid of a concentration under 51 B. will be much more'intensive and will impart to cotton entirely new qualities if the cotton has been previously mercerized, because it is thereby rendered more susceptible to action by the acid. If cotton fabric which has been mercerized and also preferably bleached, be subjected to the action of sulfuric acid of from 49 to 504 B. (the best action is obtained between 495 and 50.5 B.) the mercerizing luster disappears and instead of the transparency obtained with the higher concentrations, the fabric assumes a fine crape-like nature, whereby it appears thicker, fuller, more wool-like, softer, and is generally improved in its entire quality, and takes on the character of a fine thin woolen material, such for example as fine thin wool muslin. The effect is entirely new and novel and hitherto unknown in cotton fabrics.

The process can be applied for treating plain, patterned or embroidered fabrics. According to its pattern effects can also be produced on plain fabrics by printing on mercerized fabrics with sulfuric acid of say 50 B. and washing out after action has taken place. One can also impress a suitable resist (for instance gum thickening) and then the entire fabric can be dipped into sulfuric acid of the aforesaid concentration, and Washed out. At those points at which the acid has acted the fabric shows the above described alteration, While the places which have in the one case not been printed on by the acid, and in the other case have been printed on by the resist, maintain the appearance of the unchanged mercerized cotton. One can thus attain the designs or patterns in which the lustrous mercerized cotton stands out sharply from the dull woollike portions that have been treated with the acid.

The time during which the sulfuric acid should be allowed to act on the fabric will depend upon the nature of the fabric to be treated. The alteration of the same may in some cases take place in a few seconds, but in other cases it may require several minutes. A longer period of action than is necessary for obtaining the desired effect, a period, for

example, of fifteen minutes or more, does not as a rule act injuriously on the fabric.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that when cotton fiber is treated according to my, above described process the fibers are chemically structurally changed, and that those parts which have only been mercerizedi. e., treated with the caustic alkali, as is well understood in the art-will have the smooth, glossy appearance characteristic of that treatment, and it will be further understood by those skilled in the art that the fibers which remain in this condition have undergone a different chemical structural change from those fibers which have been acted upon both by the caustic alkali and the acid according to my invention, so that the fibers in the two portions of the fabric have undergone different chemical structural alterations. I

It is a characteristic of fabrics treated according to my process that the fibers are chemically structurally changed, and that the changed or altered condition of the fibers is permanent, z'. 6., will withstand repeated laundrying, so that the goods may be laundried without eliminating or materially altering the characteristics of the fabric above described, and this greatly enhances their value.

While the above'process is the preferred process for producing the above described fabrics herein claimed, I have discovered that similar characteristics may be produced by other processes, although the fabric resulting therefrom will not be so pleasing in appearance or desirable as that produced by the previous process. These other processes by which the similar general effects may be produced are as follows:

I have.found that the wool-like quality heretofore mentioned may be attained if'the fabric is first treated with sulfuric acid of from 49 to not quite 51 B. (i. e. not substantially over 504 B.) is washed, and then without stretching, mercerized with caustic soda. In contradistinction to the first mentioned process where the mercerizing can be carried out with or without stretching, the proper effect will take place according to this process only when mercerizing is done without stretching.

I have also discovered that the said woollike effect can also be obtained if in carrying out the first mentioned process the treatment with sulfuric acid of from 49 to 504 B. is replaced by treatment with phosphoric acid of 55 to 57 B., or with hydrochloric acid of the specific gravity of 1.19 at low temperature or nitric acid of from 43 to 46 B., or with zinc chlorid solution of 66 B. at 60 to 70 C. or with copper oxid ammonia solution, with a short reaction peri d. While, as stated, a wool-like effect can be obtained by either of these last two processes, so much more desirable effects can be obtained by the first-mentioned process that I recommend always the use of the first process.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

characteristics substantially altered by re-' peated laundrying. V

3. A mercerized cotton fabric in which the fibers have undergone a structural change which renders the fabric fuller, dull and crape-like, such as fine thin woolen fabric, which characteristics are permanent, 2'. 6., will withstand repeated laundrying.

4:. A mercerized fabric having pattern effects and in which the woof and the weft strands in the portions constituting the background are respectively so structurally difi'erent from and in'such contrast with respect to the woof and weft strands of the portions constituting the design, that the desired pattern effect is clearly produced.

5. A fabric having pattern efi'ects, 2'. a, background portions and design portions extending through its thickness so as to appear identically and in register on both surfaces, and in which the portions of one have .the physical characteristics of mercerized fabric, 2' 6., soft and glossy, and the portions of the other being so structurally different from and in such contrast with respect to said first portions that the desired pattern efi'ect is clearly defined, the contrast being due to permanent structural differences in the fibers of the respective portions, the fibers of both said portions bein such structurally as to withstand repeate laundrying without material alteration.

6. A cotton fabric having. pattern effects *5. 6., background portions and design portions and 1n which one has certain physical characteristics and has had its fibers undergo a chemical change from ordinary cotton, and in which the other has markedly different physical characteristics and has had its fibers undergo a different chemical change from ordinary cotton, the differences in characteristics being such as to clearly define the pattern.

7. A cotton fabric having pattern effects, 71. 42., background portions and design .por-

tions and in which one has certain physical characteristics due to its fibers havin undergone a chemical change from ordinary cotton, and in which the other has markedly different physical characteristics due .to its fibers having undergone a different chemical change, the differences in characteristics being such as to clearly define the pattern, and being permanent, z. 6., capable of withstanding repeated laundrying without materially altering said contrasts.

8. A cotton fabric having pattern effects, 6. e., background portions and design portions,

which extend throughout the thickness of the fabric so as to appear the same and in register on both surfaces, and in which one has certain physical characteristics due to its fibers having undergone a chemical change from ordinary cotton, and in which the other has markedly different physical characteristics due to its fibers having undergone a different chemical change, the differences in characteristics being such as to clearly define the pattern.

9. A cotton fabric having pattern efiects, i.'e., background portions and design portions, and in which the one has the physical characteristics of mercerized fabric, 2'. 6.,

soft and glossy, and the other has the physical characteristic of being dull and crapelike, like fine thin woolen fabric,'the contrast between said portions being such as to clearly define the desired pattern.

10. A fabric having pattern effects, 2'. e., I

background portions and design portions, and in which the one has the physical characteristic of mercerized fabric, 5. a, soft and glossy, and the other has the physical characterlstic of being dull and craps-like, like fine thin woolen fabric, the contrast between said portions being such as to clearly define the desired pattern and such contrast being due to structural differences in the fibers of the respective portions, which differences are permanent, z. e., will not be materially altered by repeated laundrying.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this s ecification.

CSBORGES HEBERLEIN. 

